Home Office

Domestic Violence

Baroness Manzoor: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that abandonment, as well as coercive and controlling behaviour, is included as part of their strategy to tackle domestic violence.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: This Government will not tolerate abuse through marriage or other relationships. We have taken a lead in tackling modern slavery, forced marriage and domestic violence and will continue to do so. All victims of domestic violence are entitled to the protection of the civil and criminal law while in the UK - regardless of immigration status. We will look carefully at any evidence of where further action might help to prevent abuse or support victims.Abandonment can include blackmail, fraud, emotional abuse, financial abuse, controlling and coercive behaviour and domestic servitude and the Government has strengthened the law to capture these behaviours by, for example, introducing the new coercive or controlling behaviour offence which came into force on 29 December 2015. It carries a maximum 5 years imprisonment, a fine or both. It will mean victims who experience coercive and controlling behaviour that stops short of serious physical violence, but amounts to extreme psychological and emotional abuse, can bring their perpetrators to justice.

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they have not yet responded to the report by the EU Justice Sub-Committee, The UK’s opt-in Protocol: implications of the Government’s approach, published on 24 March 2015; and when they plan to issue the response.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: As a result of the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU on 23 June, the Government is considering it’s approach to the application of the JHA Opt-in and will inform the Parliamentary Scrutiny Committees once the Government has completed its consideration.

Police: Mass Media

Lord Lexden: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 12 December (HL Deb, col. 1064), for how long the College of Policing's authorised professional practice on media relations has been in preparation; when it will be published; and whether a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The College of Policing is developing new Authorised Professional Practice (APP) guidance on media relations. Consultation on the new APP ran from May-July 2016. Responses are being analysed and the guidance is due for publication in early 2017, once it has been through the College’s approval process. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Social Services: Finance

Baroness Gardner of Parkes: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the demand for, and demographic pressures on, adult social care local authority budgets in order to inform national and local budget planning and further assess the dependencies between health and social care.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: Adult social care provides a vital service to millions of people across the country. It is for local authorities to choose how much to spend on social care to meet their duties. We recognise there are pressures on these services, and the Spending Review 2015 as a whole paid particular attention to adult social care services. As a result the 2015 Spending Review provided a package of almost £3.5 billion of support for adult social care by 2019-20. Following representations from local authorities and care providers that funding is needed sooner, the Provisional Local Government settlement included further measures to tackle these pressures, increasing the potential total funding available for social care during this Parliament. The Government announced on 15 December that savings from reforms to the New Homes Bonus will be retained in full by local government to contribute towards adult social care, through a new dedicated £240 million Adult Social Care Support Grant in 2017 to 2018, distributed according to relative need. In recognition of the immediate challenges faced in the care market, Councils will be also be granted flexibility to raise the social care precept on council tax by up to 3 per cent next year and the year after, but by no more than 6 per cent over the three years. This could provide a further £208 million to spend on adult social care in 2017 to 2018 and £444 million in 2018 to 2019.

Local Government Finance

Baroness Gardner of Parkes: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the terms of reference of the fair funding review; when they expect to complete and publish the results of that review; and whether the review will take into account the different funding needs of different local authority areas.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The Fair Funding Review is a thorough reassessment of the relative needs and resources formula for local government for a world in which local government spending will be funded by local resources not central grant. The Review will establish the funding baselines for the introduction of 100 per cent Business Rates Retention, which will be implemented by the end of the Parliament.Since we announced the Review we have collaborated closely with local government representatives. We published a Call for Evidence in July which sought views on key questions the Review will address and are currently considering the responses.

Social Services: Finance

Baroness Gardner of Parkes: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the adult social care precept announced in the 2015 Spending Review, how much this was intended to raise; how many local authorities have used it; how much additional money has been raised; and whether alternatives to the precept were considered prior to its announcement.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The social care precept created in the 2015 Spending Review works by giving local authorities the flexibility to raise council tax in their area by up to 2 per cent above the existing threshold. If all local authorities used this to its maximum effect it could help raise nearly £2 billion a year by 2019-20. In 2016-17 144 out 152 (95 per cent) of adult social care authorities took up the precept, raising £382m extra for social care this year. The precept was accompanied by the introduction of the 'improved Better Care Fund' grant for social care from 2017-18, worth £105million in that year and £1.5billion in 2019-20. The Government announced on 15 December that, in recognition of the immediate challenges faced in the care market, Councils will be granted flexibility to raise the social care precept on council tax by up to 3 per cent next year and the year after, but by no more than 6 per cent over the three years. This could provide a further £208 million to spend on adult social care in 2017 to 2018 and £444 million in 2018 to 2019.

Social Services: Finance

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, assuming current prices and that all English local authorities with adult social care provisions make two per cent increases in the council tax precept, how much will be raised in total for adult social care in England (1) in the first year of operation, and (2) for all years of operation up to and including the financial year 2019–20.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The social care precept created in the 2015 Spending Review works by giving local authorities the flexibility to raise council tax in their area by up to 2 per cent above the existing threshold. If all local authorities used this to its maximum effect it could help raise nearly £2 billion a year by 2019-20. In 2016-17 144 out of 152 (95 per cent) adult social care authorities took up the precept raising £382 million extra for social care this year. The core spending power tables published alongside the Local Government Finance Settlement provide set out estimates of how much each council might raise in later years, and an explanatory note sets out the assumptions that these are based on.

Social Services: Finance

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the transfer of business rates to local authorities will provide any scope for improving the funding of local authority adult social care services before the financial year 2020–21.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: By the end of the Parliament, local government will retain 100 per cent of taxes raised locally, giving councils control of around an additional £12.5 billion of business rates to spend on local services as they see fit, including on Adult Social Care. To ensure the reforms are fiscally neutral, new responsibilities will be devolved to local authorities. We recently conducted a consultation on our approach to the implementation of 100 per cent Business Rates Retention, which received over 450 responses. My officials are currently considering all responses and we will publish a summary of the responses and our proposals for the broad way forward in due course.In the meantime, we will continue close collaboration with local government in taking this work forward, including through the Business Rates Retention Steering Group, which is jointly chaired by the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). The Steering Group was established to consider the mechanisms needed to set up and run the new business rates system, as well as the timetable and implementation of the reforms. It oversees the work of a set of technical working groups, each looking at particular aspects of the reforms. The Group meets on a regular basis and has done so on 7 occasions since April 2016. All papers for meetings are published here: http://www.local.gov.uk/business-rates

Social Services: Finance

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which local authorities in England with responsibilities for adult social care will not use, in the financial year 2016–17, their power to increase their council tax precept by 2 per cent to pay for such care services.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: Eight social care authorities chose not to use the adult social care precept in 2016-17. They were: Stoke-on-Trent and 7 London Boroughs (City, Kensington & Chelsea, Hammersmith & Fulham, Ealing, Hillingdon, Hounslow and Merton).

Ecorys

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 20 October (HL1997), whether they will now answer the question whether the fee payable to Ecorys for their evaluation of the Troubled Families Programme has been reduced in the light of the reported problems with methodology and the consequent delay in the completion and publication of their report; and if so, by how much.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: Data-quality issues required necessary quality assurance checks and this delayed the completion of one part of the evaluation whilst the evaluators addressed these issues. However, this did not warrant a reduction in payment as the work was subsequently completed. The outstanding fee payable to Ecorys for delivery of the final set of reports has now been paid in full and the contract concluded.

Ministry of Justice

Young Offenders: Restraint Techniques

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the risk of injury and fatalities resulting from restraint techniques currently used on minors in young offender institutions and secure training centres; whether they will publish the full findings of their assessment; and what steps they are taking to review and modify the use of the relevant techniques.

Lord Keen of Elie: Restraint should only be used as a last resort, where there is a risk of harm, and where it is absolutely necessary to do so and no other form of intervention is possible or appropriate. Every incident of restraint is reviewed by the establishment. This includes looking at whether any lessons can be learned for the future.We will consider publication of the risk assessment for MMPR as part of the Annual MMPR syllabus review.

Hindley Prison

Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the report by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons on HM Prison Hindley describing the regime as "possibly the very worst" that inspectors had ever seen in this type of prison, what action they are taking to (1) reduce the hours during which prisoners are locked up, (2) increase the hours during which prisoners are able to access education, (3) learn the lessons from cases of self-inflicted death, and (4) improve the governance of the deployment of batons against prisoners.

Lord Keen of Elie: A detailed action plan is being developed to address the weaknesses identified by the Chief Inspector and will be published in Spring 2017 on the Inspectorate’s web site.As set out in the Prison Safety and Reform White Paper, this Government will be investing over £100 million to recruit an additional 2,500 frontline staff across the prison estate by the end of 2018. This phased approach is to ensure officers are successfully inducted and can learn from experienced officers. From April 2017, we are giving prison governors the power and budget to determine how their prisons are run and the authority to do their own workforce planning, decide what staffing structures best meet their local needs and deciding how to deploy extra staff in prisons. Governors will also be fully responsible for the education delivered so that they can purchase services most appropriate to their establishment.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Egypt: Non-governmental Organisations

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Egypt about the new law on civic associations and its implications for civic society in that country, including non-governmental organisations.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Following the Egyptian Parliament's passing of the draft Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) Law for the second time on 29 November, we have frequently raised our concerns with the Egyptian authorities. The Parliamentary Under Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) expressed our concern with the draft law in a statement he made on 1 December.



Minister for North Africa statement on civil socie
(PDF Document, 93.86 KB)

Pakistan: Religious Freedom

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan following reports of a raid on the Ahmadi community headquarters in Rabwah.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are aware of reports of the raid on the Ahmadiyya office in Pakistan. The Government strongly condemns the persecution of all minorities, including the targeting of people based on their beliefs. Our concerns are reflected in the latest update to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office annual human rights report.The Government regularly raises our concerns about the protection of minority communities, including religious minorities, with the Pakistani Government at a senior level. During his visit to Pakistan in November, the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr. Johnson) raised religious tolerance and the importance of safeguarding the rights of all Pakistan's citizens. The Government continues to urge Pakistan to honour in practice its human rights obligations, including those related to religious minorities, and to uphold the rule of law.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel following reports of the confiscation of an Islamic cemetery adjacent to the Al-Aqsa mosque and the prevention of Palestinian burials from taking place there.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Whilst we have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities, we call on all parties to appreciate the unique sensitivities in Jerusalem, a city which holds particular significance for many groups especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

Gaza: Breast Cancer

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel following reports that it has refused to allow Palestinian women suffering from breast cancer to leave Gaza for treatment.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: ​While we have not raised or made an assessment on this specific issue, we have consistently called on the Israeli government to ease movement and access restrictions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, most recently on 5 December. We are also supporting the UN Access Coordination Unit to work with the Israeli Government, Palestinian Authority and aid agencies to facilitate the transfer of medical equipment and supplies, and patient referrals in and out of Gaza.

Occupied Territories

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the International Criminal Court's affirmation of the occupied status of the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are aware of the International Criminal Court's position and are following closely. It has been the position of every British Government since 1948 that the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs, i.e. the West Bank including East Jerusalem and Gaza) were not lawfully part of the state of Israel at its creation or at any point thereafter. We consider that the level of control that Israel retains over these territories amounts to occupation under international law and hence that Israel's presence in the OPTs is governed by the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Conventions of 1949, to which Israel is a state party.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel following reports that the majority of building permits applied for by Palestinians in existing Palestinian villages are rejected.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We recognise that Palestinians face severe difficulty in securing building permissions for homes and infrastructure in Area C. We continue to urge the government of Israel to develop improved mechanisms for zoning, planning and permitting in Area C, including by facilitating local Palestinian participation in such processes. The UK provides technical assistance to support Palestinian villages currently threatened with demolition and funding to support long-term planning for Palestinian communities in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

West Bank: Fire and Rescue Services

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel following reports that firefighting equipment intended for the West Bank has been detained in Haifa.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have been in touch with the Israeli authorities to ascertain the correct procedures which need to be followed to meet Israel's customs requirements. They have been in regular contact with the Fire Brigades Union, and provided advice on the correct steps which need to be followed to proceed with the shipment.

Lebanon: Palestinians

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Lebanon following the condemnation by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees of armed violence in Ein El Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The violence and instability in Lebanon's twelve Palestinian refugee camps remains a concern for the UK. The armed violence that took place in Ein El Hilweh on 5 December was a shocking example of the serious problems affecting daily camp life. Although it is not the UK's policy to raise specific camp security incidents with the government of Lebanon, we monitor Palestinian refugee issues closely and raise these in our regular discussions with the Lebanese Government.

Diplomatic Service: Ethnic Groups

Baroness Berridge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many resident heads of mission from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are from a black or minority ethnic background.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: As of the 30 November, 5.3% of our Heads of Mission reported they were from a black or minority ethnic (BME) background (based on a 98% reporting rate).

Diplomatic Service: Ethnic Groups

Baroness Berridge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many heads of mission to international organisations from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are from a black or minority ethnic background.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: As of the 30 November, of the seven of Heads of Mission to international organisations that have reported their ethnicity (86% of the total number of Heads of Mission to international organisations), none are from a black or minority ethnic (BME) background.Continuing to improve the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's record on diversity, equality and inclusion is fundamental to our aim of being the best diplomatic service in the world. We undertake a range of interventions to improve our leadership and management capability and to remove barriers to the progress of under-represented groups in the FCO, to help people reach their full potential. Action includes a bespoke talent development scheme for BME staff; role models from all backgrounds; diverse interview panels at all grades; diverse shortlists for senior positions as the norm; and outreach to attract diverse talent into the FCO, focused on BME candidates and those from a low-socio economic background.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Senior Civil Servants

Baroness Berridge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many staff members in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are in the top five civil service grades; and how many of those are from a black or minority ethnic background.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: As of the 30 November the total number of staff in the top five civil service grades and those that were from a black or minority ethnic (BME) background were:GradeTotalTotal number of staff who have reported an ethnicityThose that reported they were BMED743036822SMS126323011SMS2102926SMS327241SMS4320

British Council: Finance

Baroness Brown of Cambridge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to increase funding for the British Council, in the light of the UK's exit from the European Union and the British Council's role in, and potential for, developing strong relationships with future trading allies through cultural diplomacy and soft power.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Government will continue to invest in the British Council, which plays a critical role in developing international cultural relations and delivering programmes around the world which support economic and social development; help strengthen institutions, good governance and civil society; encourage debate and dialogue; and develop creativity and the arts.The British Council has worked successfully with European neighbours for over eighty years. We have no plans at present to increase grant funding to the British Council, but will continue to support them as they find ways to work in partnership with European countries and with EU institutions to create opportunities, build connections and engender trust.

Pakistan: Religious Freedom

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the attack on 12 December on the Ahmadiyya Mosque in Dolmial, in the district of Chakwai, Pakistan; and what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about the treatment of Ahmadiyyas.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We condemn the attack on the Ahmadiyya Mosque in Chakwal on 12 December. The Government strongly condemns the persecution of all minorities, including the targeting of people based on their beliefs. Our concerns are reflected in the latest update to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office annual human rights report.The Government regularly raises our concerns about the protection of minority communities, including religious minorities, with the Pakistani Government at a senior level. During his visit to Pakistan in November, the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson), raised religious tolerance and the importance of safeguarding the rights of all Pakistan's citizens. The Government continues to urge Pakistan to honour in practice its human rights obligations, including those related to religious minorities, and to uphold the rule of law.

Egypt: Coptic Orthodox Church

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what offers of help or advice they have made to the government of Egypt about the improvement of security of the people attending places of worship following the bombing of the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral of St Mark in Cairo; and what assessment they have made of the levels of persecution and discrimination against the Coptic minority.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Following the attack against El-Botrosiya Church on 11 December, the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) wrote to the President of Egypt to express her deep condolences and reiterate the UK's support for Egypt in its fight against terrorism. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson), Her Majesty's Ambassador to Egypt, and officials in London have also expressed their condolences to the Egyptian authorities. The UK Government continues to work closely with the Egyptian authorities on security and counter-terrorism, including through training Egyptian officers in countering improvised explosive devices and close protection.The UK Government has been clear that freedom of religious belief needs to be protected and that the ability to worship in peace is a vital component of a democratic society. We are concerned about recent reports of sectarian violence in Egypt, and welcome President Sisi's consistent calls for peaceful coexistence and the government of Egypt's expression of support for the rights of Christians and for religious tolerance.

Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the decision by the government of the United States not to proceed with a number of munitions sales to Saudi Arabia, whether they intend to cancel planned weapons sales; what is the value of UK sales of arms to Saudi Arabia which have been licensed since March; and whether they have sought legal advice about potential UK complicity in war crimes as a consequence of armaments originating in the UK being used by Saudi Arabia against civilians in that country and elsewhere.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: As the Secretary of State for Defence, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Michael Fallon) said in his statement on Monday 19 December, we operate one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world – we have our own robust evidence-based process and reach our own conclusions.The UK takes our arms export responsibilities very seriously. The key test for our continued arms exports to Saudi Arabia is whether there is a clear risk that the items concerned might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law. The situation is kept under careful and continual review.The US continues to export a wide range of military equipment to Saudi Arabia, including combat aircraft and attack helicopters and munitions. In response to concerns over certain elements of the conflict in Yemen, the US announced a single upcoming munitions sale would not be taken forward. We are in contact with US authorities on this issue.Statistics on licences for the export of strategic goods are published on a quarterly basis. The most recent published figures cover March – June 2016. In this period the value of standard individual export licences which were granted for military goods to Saudi Arabia was worth £6,235,378.

Israeli Settlements

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of preliminary approval having been given by the Knesset of Israel to a bill to retroactively legalise Jewish settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, what is the most recent estimate of the total number of unofficial Jewish settlement outposts in the West Bank; what is their assessment of the impact of such legislation on any two-state solution for Israel; what representations they have made, alone and with other governments, to the government of Israel in respect of the plans; and what steps they are taking to monitor the impact of any such representations.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK is extremely concerned that the Knesset has passed the first reading of a bill which would retroactively “legalise” around 55 settlement outposts, expropriate privately owned Palestinian land and pave the way for a significant further expansion of settlements in the West Bank. This would be illegal under international law, and once again calls into question the Israeli Government's commitment to a two-state solution. The UK urges the Israeli Government to reconsider the land regulation bill at the earliest opportunity. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr. Ellwood), raised the issue with the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister when they met in London on 12 December. ​Minister Ellwood also raised the issue with the Israeli ambassador to London and issued two press statements expressing the UK's concerns.

Syria: Politics and Government

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what role they consider President Assad should play in the future of the government of Syria.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Government supports a political transition away from the Asad regime. The Geneva Communiqué of 2012 sets out a transition process which retains and reforms the key institutions of the Syrian Government, leading to a process in which the Syrian people could fairly and freely decide their future. This was internationally agreed and ratified by the UN Security Council with the adoption of UNSCR 2254.

Syria: Armed Conflict

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the deal for Syrian rebel fighters to leave eastern Aleppo, as outlined by Russia's Ambassador to the UN.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK Government has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Aleppo; for those who wished to leave to be allowed to do so and for humanitarian aid to be allowed in. We have used all our diplomatic tools to this end. Other international partners have also worked hard to secure a ceasefire.Once an evacuation started, we made clear that protection of those leaving eastern Aleppo was paramount and urged the Syrian regime to allow the United Nations (UN) to oversee evacuation and reception processes.There have been alarming reports from the UN of the disappearance of hundreds of men as they have entered regime held areas on leaving eastern Aleppo, and of atrocities committed by pro-regime militias in Aleppo. It is absolutely crucial that the UN and other impartial humanitarian actors are given full access across Aleppo, both to provide humanitarian aid and to ensure protection. It is vital that those who choose to leave the area are properly protected under the auspices of the UN and may go to where they want, not where they are forced.It remains clear that the only solution to the crisis in Syria is a political settlement based on transition. We urge the regime and its backers to stop the bloodshed and return to diplomacy.

Kashmir: India

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports of the use of high-powered pellet guns against civilian protesters in Kashmir by Indian forces; and what representations they have made to the government of India regarding this issue.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Reading West (Alok Sharma) discussed the use of pellet guns and alternative methods of crowd control in India administered Kashmir with Indian Government representatives in October. The government of India has been reviewing the use of pellet guns in Kashmir. It has yet to make the review's conclusions public, but there are reports that alternative methods of crowd control will be introduced. The UK abides by its commitments under international law and expects all countries to comply with their international legal obligations. We engage with India on human rights matters and will continue to work collaboratively on the promotion and protection of human rights.

Burma: Human Rights

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the human rights situation in Arakan state in Myanmar; and what representations they have made to the government of Myanmar regarding reports of the killing of Rohingya Muslims.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK Government is concerned by a number of disturbing recent reports of human rights violations by security forces in Rakhine State. We have made several representations to the government of Burma calling for humanitarian access both through our Ambassador and also through Ministerial contacts. When I visited Burma from 9-12 November, I urged Burmese Government Ministers to set up a full and independent investigation into all reports of human rights violations. The Investigation Commission has now been established and will report back by 31 January 2017. We will continue to monitor its progress closely.

Israeli Settlements

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the consequences of the proposed legislation by the Knesset retroactively legalising Jewish settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank; what response, if any, they have received; and how they intend to pursue the issue.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr. Ellwood), raised the issue with the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister when they met in London on 12 December. Minister Ellwood also raised the issue with the Israeli Ambassador to London and issued two press statements on the issue. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv has raised our concerns about the bill with the Minister for Strategic Affairs, the Minister for Science, the Deputy Finance Minister and a range of members of the Knesset. We continue to urge the Israeli Government to reconsider this legislation at the earliest possible opportunity.